By Brittany Drysdale
LITTLE bridge brings big trouble as the small community of Kirwans Bridge struggles to cope with the ongoing closure of the town’s bridge that connects residents to the outer Strathbogie region.
The 300m long Kirwans Historic Bridge was the town’s primary entry and exit point for over 100 years, with farmers, families, and visitors utilising the bridge daily for a quick 10-minute drive to Nagambie and other nearby towns.
Unfortunately, since October 2022, the bridge has been ‘temporarily closed’ due to safety concerns. Seven months later, citizens have had enough of the economic costs, time, and safety issues caused by the bridge’s closure.
Local woman Jasmin LeDeux expressed just how much the town relies on the bridge.
“Kids have to get up extra early to get to school, the longer drive means extra fuel costs, and ambulances are forced to make a longer journey meaning people’s safety is compromised.”
A statement on the Strathbogie Shire Council’s website from Wednesday, March 29, 2023, has concluded that the bridge will remain closed until federal funding is secured, and works are complete.
Two conflicting engineer reports were conducted before and after the 2022 floods, one reporting that the bridge was safe, and the other declaring the bridge to be structurally compromised and unsafe to use by vehicular traffic.
Community activist Robyn Taylor declared how the Council’s disappointing and misinformed decision have severely impacted the community, stating that, “We need the bridge open now because there is nothing wrong with it.
“The community are getting together fortnightly to work out how we can put more pressure on the Council to recognise that this is a situation that needs resolving.”
